Right where the Endless-Pocono Run section of the DiscoverNEPA Brewer’s Loop begins to climb into the dense, Pocono Mountain wilderness, we found ourselves at Runaway Train Brewery.

It was a regular, sunny Wednesday in August. The busy valley below hummed like a beehive as we skated over the green ridgetops on the oddly-quiet Casey Highway. We set out for Honesdale tasked with two seemingly simple objectives. One – get to Irving Cliff and grab some beautiful photo/video (1b. – Don’t let the eagles murder the drone). And two, pop into this new brewhouse we’ve been hearing so much about (2b. – sample many beers… for science, of course). So, we did.

The view from Irving Cliff offers a unique perspective of the little town, framed by the dense Pocono Mountains and the Lackawaxen River. It’s almost hard to imagine that the portage of anthracite coal destined to fuel New York City and Philadelphia found its path of least resistance right here. The quiet borough, laid out like a mini-modern city wearing a rural overcoat, in many respects, had won the geographical lottery. A mountain path forms over millennia. A river takes a sharp right turn. And the story of America’s industrial age finds a vein. And it runs directly through Honesdale.

Sure, the coal cars, canals and railyards have gone quiet, save for the celebrated Stourbridge Line. But this town and its people still celebrate their history proudly. It’s in their public art, their coffee shops and restaurants. Even the town’s street grid lays out like a train track. And more importantly for us, one place where you’ll find all of that history poured neatly in a pint glass is at Runaway Train Brewery.

Let’s go have a tour and perhaps, partake.

The Brewery

It’s all fun and games until you figure out who’s driving this thing…

From massive, half-wall windows in the middle of the dining room, you get a peek into the brewhouse — the steaming engine of this whole operation. The cavernous space is brightened by an open, overhead garage door. It offers little refuge for secrets. Light ricochets from polished steel tanks to the painted concrete floor and white walls. As the eye adjusts to the bending and fractured light, a sense of familiarity returns in the shape of small dials and the snake work of pipes and hoses.

Soon, the room renders from an optical illusion of light and texture into a much simpler place where a day is measured in scoops of barley. And the judging of whether it was a particularly good or bad one rests on a long pull from the sample port. It’s at once, workshop and laboratory, production line and quality control, inspiration and action. And the brewer lords over it greedily. Well, until the beer’s done. Then, he happily shares it with anyone who’ll stop by the taproom and press their curious, little nose against the glass.

The Taproom

Everybody loves trains!

The taproom at Runaway Train Brewery, in so many ways, evokes a feeling of motion. The long bar runs lengthwise toward a burst of daylight through the back door. It seems to frame the world as we’ve left it behind us. Interior lights aligned in parallel rows drive us forward into the main dining space. Dark walls and trim throughout beckon the interior of a low-lit train car. Art, depicting breeze-blown wheat and passing clouds, offers a sense of trajectory. It’s almost like cruising along some rural stretch of track.

We’re going somewhere. We just don’t really know where. Back in time? Into a future Honsedale dreamed up by some modern Rip Van Winkle? But it doesn’t matter. We’re aboard. We’re feeling those historical vibes in the thick, dark timbers, the old photos and the coal black duct work. And we’re along for the ride wherever it’s going (so long as it includes tasty, cold beer).

The massive, open dining room allows room for spreading out with family and friends. There are plenty of long high tops and tables. You can even grab a spot in a separate, partially-enclosed dining area aptly named The Dining Car. Of course, you can just grab a stool and press your elbows onto the glossy bar top. The brewpub also features a lounge area and an upstairs game room with a pool table, shuffle board and more. The second floor also features a live music space. And, during warmer months, you can enjoy a beer and a bite outside on the patio.

But If you’re looking for the ultimate experience, keep an eye out for one of their Beer Train events in collaboration with The Stourbridge line.

The Beer

But first, the beer.

The slate at Runaway Train covers the whole spectrum from light to dark, ale to pilsner, hazy IPA to barrel-aged stout. The tap list features anywhere from ten to fourteen handles, all pouring honest, traditional recipes or slight, unique variations. It’s true beer built on a good system, guided along by a smart, steady hand – nothing gimmicky or off-the-wall. Each entry appeals to both the waistcoat and pocket watch fancies in the Executive Club and the boot-n-trouser folks sharing newspapers in the commuter car.

We first lined up a few ales. Wet Your Whistle is a blonde pub ale ringing in at an easy 3.7%. It crisp and light all the way down with balanced floral notes. Things got a little hazy as we moved on to Wheelhouse, their New England IPA. This one, at 5.2%, brought a more tropical take with smooth, lingering stone fruit and just a hint of hops. Day Tripper, a standard American IPA at 6.4%, and their reigning top-seller, is all things classic IPA – hoppy, a bit resinous with a perfect touch of citrus squeezing through.

Lager time. And if there’s a Czech Pilsner on the menu, you have to start there. Ticket to Ride is their standard bearer when it comes to light and simple lager. It presents as a well-balanced 5.1% ABV, perfectly golden-yellow and with those trademark grassy, floral notes. From there, we moved on to Golden Spike, a mild, 4.5% Helles lager with a strong malt backbone and a smooth bready finish. We finished our lager tour with Party on the Patio, a festive beer brewed as a collab with Mohegan Pennsylvania to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its popular summer concert series of the same name. It was a smooth, easy-cruising lager at 4.8% with a refreshing hint of lime. It’s exactly the type of beer you’d need at a summer party on… well, a patio, I guess.

Finally, we squeezed in a short pour of Runaway Train’s current heavy hitter, their D&H Coal Car imperial stout. This dark beauty, aged in Buffalo trace barrels weighs in at an impressive 12%. And it hit all the notes – slight dark chocolate and coffee on the front end, smooth, creamy head and a mild hop bitterness. Then, the sweet, oaky bourbon heat catches you off guard, in a good way, of course. In all, it was a journey in a glass.

The Food

You should probably eat something.

You can’t come all this way, try a few beers and just go home. I mean you can, but if you sit here for five minutes watching the food come steaming out of the kitchen, you’re not going anywhere. The food menu at Runaway Train Brewery keeps it simple, comforting and delicious – like any brewpub should. It ranges from classic appetizers like Sourdough Pretzel Sticks and Nachos to Glazed Baby Backs, Creamy Dill Pickle Dip and house-made chips to even Tacos. And if that’s not enough, they’ve got irresistible sandwiches, burgers, chicken wings and a whole selection of entrees like Fish & Chips, Hot Honey Chicken and BBQ Brisket to name a few.

We made our way to Runaway Train Brewery in Honesdale with a few simple expectations.

There would be beer, food and, since it is Honesdale, a little bit of history. And we got a lot of all three and then some. From the minute they welcomed us aboard to the moment they were handing us fresh samples from the fermentation tanks to our departure when they were plying us with 4-packs to go, the good people at this unique brewpub had a story to tell. And they did it with good times, great beer and tasty food.

Make your way to Honesdale to check out Runaway Train Brewery.

Must Try:

Day Tripper – American IPA – Perfectly hopped with bright notes of citrus and pine — 6.4% ABV

D&H Coal Car – Buffalo Trace Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout – A hefty, classic stout with the coffee, chocolate combo and a sweet bourbon finish — 12% ABV

Party on the Patio – Lager w/ Lime – A smooth, crisp lager with strong malt character and a festive punch of lime – 4.8% ABV